Senate gives Henry a date to show up – or else

The Senate has given Ken
Henry
six weeks to appear before its economics committee to answer questions on the federal budget, after the Treasury secretary cited personal reasons for not being able to attend an important hearing on June 2.

The minor parties joined the Coalition in voting on Thursday to demand Dr Henry appear before a budget estimates committee hearing by June 30.

The hearing would be the first and last opportunity before the federal election for the Senate to ask the nation’s second most powerful public servant about the independent tax review he chaired and the resource tax announced last week. Coalition deputy whip David Bushby said he expected a time could be arranged for the Senate economics committee to hear from Dr Henry.

“The motion is binding – it’s not like he has a moral obligation to turn up. The consequences for not doing so are up to the Senate. It would be a pretty poor look if he didn’t appear."

If an order is not obeyed, the Senate can use its subpoena powers to force an individual to appear before it or send him or her to jail.

Shadow treasurer Joe Hockey said he was surprised that the Treasury Secretary could not appear at the usual budget estimates sessions.

The inquiry dates are set months in advance but reports suggested Dr Henry had arranged a holiday around the fortnight of estimates starting on May 24. Mr Hockey said the Henry tax review was an “orphan" because nobody was prepared to defend it.

“You would think there could be no more important estimates than those that follow a budget and those that follow a major review, chaired by the Secretary of Treasury, which is meant to be a once-in-a-generation proposal for tax reform."